News

NEW YORK, NY December 19, 2005 —Some 50,000 commuters in Queens are having to find different ways to get around this morning. Workers with Jamaica Buses and Triboro Coach are on strike. It's a prelude to a possible wider transit strike that could spread to city subways and buses if a new contract isn't reached by midnight tonight. For rider affected today in Queens, the city is allowing commuter vans and livery cars to pick up passengers from any bus stop where service is not operating.

Negotiations between the MTA and the Transit Workers Union are set to resume today. Over the weekend, little progress was made. The MTA's chief negotiator, Gary Dellaverson, says he's concerned about the status of the talks.

REPORTER: The two sides met for a couple of hours before breaking for dinner. The MTA's lead negotiator, Gary Dellaverson, said the talks weren't fruitful.

DELLAVERSON: The MTA is quite concerned that we are now down to the last day before the union imposed deadline.

REPORTER: Union president Roger Toussaint and MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow did not take part in yesterday's talks. The union said Toussaint was in the hotel but saw no point in appearing at the negotiations without the MTA chairman. Kalikow is expected to join the negotiations today.

Meanwhile, the MTA gave no estimate for how much money it would save by raising the retirement age to 62 for new employees and by increasing their healthcare contributions. Both plans are staunchly opposed by the union - which claims the savings would only amount to five million dollars a year. The MTA argues that it's deficit is growing partly because of soaring health and pension costs.